Is ‘A Gifted Man’ Really Just ‘Everwood’ 2.0?

Fall TV

acohnSeptember 29, 2011

"A Gifted Man" is giving us "Everwood" flashbacks (Heather Wines/CBS)

(Television Without Pity) — At first glance, it might not seem that the new CBS medical drama "A Gifted Man" has much in common with The WB's family drama "Everwood." After all, "Everwood" was a small-town saga and set in the mountains, while "A Gifted Man" thrives in the hustle and bustle of New York. But if you look more closely, you'll see that these two shows are remarkably similar.

Brilliant Neurosurgeon'Everwood': Andy was an acclaimed neurosurgeon who had no time for his family and left most of the child-rearing to his wife.'A Gifted Man': Michael's an acclaimed neurosurgeon to the rich and famous and has no time for a family.

Dead Wife 'Everwood': Andy had multiple flashbacks to his dead wife, talked to her (out loud) for advice, and even imagined seeing her throughout the first season. Her sudden death and her hope that he'd be a better parent are the impetus for his move to Colorado and his renewed focus on his family.'A Gifted Man': Michael has visions of his dead wife, who tells him how to be less of a selfish jerk and focus on his patients and not his money. He also talks to his dead wife out loud in public, which earns him some peculiar glares.

Sullen Teenager'Everwood': Andy's son Ephram was none too pleased to be moved to the middle of nowhere to live with a father he barely knew, and he didn't exactly keep his feelings a secret.'A Gifted Man': Michael's got his nephew Milo, who is acting out, getting arrested, and hanging around with troublesome kids. Michael basically dumps the kid on his sister, telling her she needs to deal with him instead of acting as a father figure.

Learning to Deal With Actual Patients'Everwood': When Andy moved to Everwood, he didn't realize that becoming a GP was so hands-on and that the patients actually wanted to talk to him, expecting more than just a well-done, but impersonal, slice to the brain.'A Gifted Man': When handed some of Anna's poor patients from the Bronx, Michael is confused by the fact that they would want to speak to him and waste his valuable time. He'd like to diagnosis the problem, fix it, and get the hell out of there.

Not Charging for Services'Everwood': Andy's work in New York kept him in a life of luxury, and when he moved to Everwood, he had far fewer expenses. So to woo potential patients, he decided to become a good old country doc and not charge for any of his medical services.'A Gifted Man': Judging by the size of his loft and his medical facility, Michael's not hurting for cash. So when he's bullied by his dead wife into taking on underprivileged clients, he tells them that he has all the scans and necessary surgery costs covered. He doesn't seem thrilled about it, but he still does it.

Bossy Older Lady Keeping Them in Check'Everwood': Andy had no choice but to hire Edna, a competent, old grouchy nurse who not only kept his practice running, but also gave him some (usually unsolicited) sage advice. Especially when dealing with the rival town doctor and her son.'A Gifted Man': Michael has Rita, who has to put up with a lot from a man who can't even acknowledge her birthday. But she still keeps his appointments, doesn't give him flak for talking to himself, and unflinchingly rolls with the punches from his ghost-influenced decisions.